Bring culprits to book thru’ swift probe

Calling for swift investigations into the recent murders and bringing the culprits to justice, the European Union and three more countries have urged the Bangladesh government to ensure freedom of expression as a fundamental human right.

 They have also called upon the government to ensure the protection and safety of lives of all citizens.

The calls have been made amid a series of killings and attacks on online, cultural, rights activists and members of civil society and religious minorities in the country.

The EU, France, Australia and Switzerland have joined other countries in condemning the recent killings, especially the murders of Xulhaz Mannan, a locally-hired employee of the US embassy in Dhaka, and his friend Mahbub Tonoy, and Rajshahi University Prof Rezaul Karim Siddique.

France and Australia say they stand by Bangladesh, as they stand by other international partners, in the fight against terrorism and opposing intolerance and violent extremism.

They have also expressed their deepest condolences to the victim families and wished the injured a quick recovery.

In a statement yesterday, the EU said it expected the Bangladesh government to ensure freedom of expression as a fundamental human right and to promote respect.

“It is also essential to ensure the protection and safety of all citizens,” a spokesperson for the EU said.

“Thorough investigations into these killings need to take place to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”

EU spokesperson from Brussels said two Bangladeshi LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) activists had brutally been murdered in an attack in Dhaka, which also left a policeman and a security guard injured.

With the killings of a law student (Nazim Uddin Samad) on April 6 and an English professor (Prof Rezaul) on April 23, this is already the third violent attack in Bangladesh in less than a month, the EU statement read.

France, in a statement from Paris, said, “These outrageous killings come in addition to a series of murders, most of them claimed by Daech [IS], occurring in Bangladesh these last months against civil society members, rights defenders and representatives of religious minorities.

"The culprits must be brought to justice."

France condemned the murders of Prof Rezaul, Hindu priest Paramananda Roy and the two LGBT rights defenders, Xulhaz and Tonoy.

Australia said it wanted to see swift investigations into the murders.

“We trust these acts will be investigated swiftly and that those responsible will face justice,” Australian High Commissioner in Dhaka Greg Wilcock said in a statement yesterday.

He also said the victims were respected citizens. “We offer our condolences to their families, friends and communities.”

The Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh in a statement said the recent killings constituted a “serious threat” to the freedom of expression and were grave violations of basic human rights.

It said the freedom of expression was deeply rooted in Bangladesh's long-traced tradition of tolerance, harmony and respect for human rights -- the principles on which the country was built.

The United Nations has also expressed concern over the recent murders in Bangladesh.

It called for addressing the crimes through effective and prompt investigations by law enforcement agencies.

“The UN is concerned that intolerance-related violence is increasing in Bangladesh -- just two days ago we heard about the killing of Professor Rezaul Karim Siddiquee of the University of Rajshahi. In another recent incident, two activists were killed,” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, said at a briefing at the UN headquarters on Tuesday.

Earlier, the US, the UK, Germany, Norway, Denmark and the UN in Bangladesh expressed concern over the rise in murders and violent attacks in Bangladesh. They also called for effective and speedy investigations into the incidents to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Xulhaz, 42, and his friend Tonoy, 25, were murdered at a flat in capital's Kalabagan on Monday while Prof Rezaul and Paramananda were killed in Rajshahi and Gopalganj on April 23. Jagannath University law student Nazim Uddin Samad, a Gonojagoron Mancha activist, was killed in Dhaka on April 6.